Meet the Maker - The Hampstead Smock Company

Bilal at work

Meet the Maker - The Hampstead Smock Company

I studied Fashion & Textile Design at St Martin’s School of Art in the 1980’s, I specialised in Interiors & Soft Furnishings and have worked all over the world doing this job.  My products are accessories for the home.  I’ve always worn an artists smock to work in, this was inspired by my mother who wore one around the house looking after 6 children.

 My favourite product is my ‘Smock’, although all the products I will be bringing to sell at ‘Homeworks’ give me great pleasure.

I truly find inspiration from within, I can walk into a home or space and immediately know how I’d enhance it with beautiful products, soft furnishings, lighting.  I frequent museums, we have so much wonderful free art to see in London, I go to new exhibitions and I often walk through London where I was told as a child by my father to look up and see the architecture around us, we can miss so much and so all of this inspires me.

The Hampstead Smock Company will be at Homeworks on 8th December

Meet the maker - Jackie Parsons

Meet the maker - Jackie Parsons

Scobel clothing makes pared Back considered women’s clothing and accessories made in south east London by Jackie Parsons using fabrics surplus to the trade.

Jackie's current favourite piece is thiscross back apron made from sanforised Irish Linen. It improves with washing and has a useful phone pocket on the bib so you can carry on chatting while stirring your risotto. 

Jackie used to work as a costumier so finds inspiration in any costume drama. She likes to keep the romance with out compromising the practicality.

Come and see Jackie at Homeworks on 1st December

Last Christmas Bazaar Sunday 14 December - Preview

Only two and a bit days to go until our last Christmas Bazaar of 2014! Don’t worry, there’s still time to save a few pennies, get inspired and shop local for all your festive needs.

Here’s a sneak preview of a selection of designers and makers joining us on Sunday, we open at 10am sharp. Remember - the early bird gets the best stuff (or something like that):

Angela Cork is a silversmith and jeweller based at Kingsgate Studios in West Hampstead. She will be selling her new handmade ‘Pillow’ collection of sterling silver jewellery - beautiful pieces, designed to have a soft, tactile feel with clean, contemporary lines:

Born & Bred Studio, a local interior design studio will be selling a selection of customised vintage mid-century chairs - perfect for last minute seating arrangements and to add some fun to your living space. Vintage silk scarf cushions and other unique finds add to their eclectic mix:

Clara Francis comes from a family of jewellers and she taught herself the ancient craft of bead weaving after a successful career as an actress. Through exploration and experimentation she has developed her own unique style of beadwork inspired by flora and fauna, with a heavy dose of pop culture thrown into the mix.

A favourite with fashionistas and sold all over the world, we’re thrilled that Clara is joining us for Homeworks again this year:

Handmade in Spitalfields, Cinderela B will be bringing their new range of packaged sentimental jewellery to Homeworks, perfect as Christmas gifts. Featuring double charms in mixed metals, each necklace or bracelet comes in a beautifully branded Cinderella B gift box:

Dustbin and Bones will be selling their Dali inspired glass art:

Enelle London return with their simple, stylish jewellery collection:

Jacqui Ramrayka is back for another year with a range of beautiful thrown porcelain and stoneware vessels:

Joanna Weakley created Holistic Silk as an antidote to the fast pace and stress of daily life. Beautiful accessories which inspire harmony, balance and a little inner peace (in other words, perfect for this time of year):

Queens Park local and Homeworks regular Jo Heckett makes all her porcelain gifts and Christmas decorations in her London studio, hand painting them with precious metal lustres. New pieces this Christmas include mini candy canes, giant baubles and real silver platinum lustre versions of her most popular ranges:

Make Accessories will be selling their beautiful UK designed, metallics bag collection in pure leather:

Zoe Brewer, also known as My Interior Stylist will be displaying her first furniture collaboration, The Flower Project (first shown at Queens Park Design District as part of London Design Festival). Unique upholstery for sale or commission. Zoe will also be selling Interior Design Consultation vouchers, a great Christmas gift those wanting interiors inspiration:

Otto London was founded by Eleonore Perez and Otto Lauterbach in 2012 to provide themselves and other discerning cyclists with a garment that would keep them warm and dry while looking good both on and off their bikes.

They will be with us on Sunday selling their stylish accessories for the smart urban cyclist who wants practical alternatives to the obvious:

Pretty Craft will be selling hand craft felt accessories:

Rosemont Vintage is offering a range of fine homewares with a French influence, including monogrammed linens, porcelain, and framed antique wallpapers:

Sahel Design works with traditional artisans in Burkina Faso. Come and meet Charlie Davis, the ex London fashion editor behind the brand and find out more about her collaboration with indigenous crafts people.  She’ll be selling beautiful homewares and accessories:

Sirplus join us again on Sunday selling their high quality menswear made from surplus materials (waste not want not, we say):

And finally, Vanessa Cohen is back for another year with her delicate range of handmade tableware:

 

Well that’s quite a selection to choose from - a Christmas gift for everyone, even those who are hard to please. Actually, especially for those who are hard to please...

Many of our stallholders from last week will be returning too so check our Facebook page for all the independent businesses coming along and see you on Sunday x.

Sunday 7 December - Our first sale preview

Less than a week to go until our first Christmas Bazaar next Sunday and here’s our first sale preview. We work hard to bring you a carefully curated mix of makers so there’s something for everyone. This Christmas we have a mix of new faces and returning Homeworks regulars:

Queens Park local Sonia Shakerley returns to Homeworks with her distinctive hand crafted jewellery. She makes bespoke pieces for private clients as well as earrings, necklaces and rings:

Homeworks very own Lou Rota will be selling her new collection Lou Rota London. They’ll be lots of new products including samples and seconds so come early to bag a bargain:

Simone Selaib Salandini returns with her intricate silver hand made jewellery:

Alpaca Pie are back with childrenswear and accessories made with love in Peru,

but with a classic British quirkiness:

Ruth Hannett and Sharon Chin are Bea Bags - they design and make all their bags and accessories:

Homeworks favourite Celia Worster will be back with her gorgeous aromatherapy oils and creams.

(If you ask her nicely she might give you a head and neck massage, a perfect way to ease

the stress of festive planning):

Knitwear designer Gilly B creates hats, gloves and scarves using only the finest natural yarns

and joins us for the first time this year:

Lighting designer Charlotte Packe is back with her stunning lighting range:

Dorothy Stiven  sources beautiful one off vintage finds in Scotland and France.

Come early to buy something unique:

Moomu returns with gifts and accessories:

Out of the Dark recycle, restore and repurpose furniture as a means to train, educate and employ young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The results speak for themselves and Out of the Dark are selling their beautiful restored furniture next Sunday:

Homeworks regular Sasha Kamen will be back with her handmade fine jewellery:

Christa Davis is back with her sell-out reconditioned cashmere knits and vintage fabric accessories:

Homeworks very own Samantha Frankel Ceramics is back for one day only with hand made ceramics and accessories:

Scamp will be back with their usual mix of bright and bold screen printed baby wear (the London bus is a real favourite) plus new wooden laser cut products and some festive fancies:

Have you ever wished your Ikea bag was a bit more special? Twisted Twee will be selling a limited edition range of these rather lovely Vintage Ikea Bags. That’s more like it:

Newcomer Helene Turbe designs and makes elegant, delicate and timeless jewellery with an ethnic vibe:

Home address will be at Homeworks for the first time on Sunday and founder Celine believes beautiful pieces for your home don’t have to be expensive, as long as they have a story to tell:

There we have it - lots of good reasons to tempt you away from Oxford Street and online shops.

Shop independent and buy local this Christmas.

See you on Sunday!

Our First Christmas Sale Preview

Not long now until our first Christmas Bazaar on Sunday 24 November. We have many returning stallholders this year and lots of new ones too. Here is a small selection of our stallholders coming along next Sunday. Keep checking back for more previews with more designers and makers over the next few weeks.

One of our Homeworks founders, Lou Rota is set to relaunch with brand new collections early in the New Year. She is having a big stock clear out and her Vintage Plate Art Kits, mugs, trays, platters and jugs will all be at bargain basement prices:

Ocabini is a small design company that create classic cashmere/silk garments with contemporary designs. Their children's range is colourful and cosy, whilst their adult range includes fresh individual prints and classic knits for women and men:

A Queen's Park local, Sasha Kamen makes all her jewellery by hand in her studio: 

Homeworks regular Somerville Scarves return with their trademark silk scarves, cosy hats and accessories:

Twisted Twee have been making and peddling cheerfully sardonic childrenswear and items of practical lunacy since 2003.
All their goods are manufactured and embellished in the UK and they work with people who put sustainability and good working practice at the heart of their business:

Soochi Ltd will be selling kids’ fashion from Bonnie Baby and Little Duckling:

Simone Selaib-Salandini will be selling the collections she supplies to galleries and her more funky street wear collections made of semi-precious stones:

Savile Rogue return with their unique cashmere football scarves and accessories:

Clara Francis is a bead weaver - each piece is made using Japanese glass seed beads sewn by hand one bead at a time. They are little pieces of art you can wear and keep forever:

Christa Davis returns with her distinctive and beautiful clothes for adults and kids, made by blending up-cycled cashmere and silks and vintage fabric:

Nicole from Barefoot Books will have a selection of christmas books and activity kits for children, perfect presents and stocking fillers:

Isolyn will be selling a selection of colourful felted wool bags & purses, slippers and brooches:

The winter chill is coming and Alpaca Pie is spinning more beautiful knitwear and accessories to keep your little ones and you toasty and warm:

Holistic Silk is committed to fair trade and ethical production and they return to Homeworks this year with a selection of their beautiful and therapeutic products: 

Celia Lindsell creates a stylish range of organic lavender accessories for you and the home including doorstops, gift sets, silk, French linen bed pillows and much more:  

Sirplus make all their clothes from offcuts and surplus fabric, or ‘cabbage’, you can find out more about it here: